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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29478822">Wildflowers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>18th Century, Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angel Castiel (Supernatural), Angel Sex, Angel Wings, Archangels, Canon Gay Relationship, Castiel and Dean Winchester in Love, Castiel/Dean Winchester Wing Kink, Cuddling Castiel/Dean Winchester, Demon Blood, Demon Crowley (Supernatural), Family Secrets, Flowers, Fluff and Smut, Heaven vs Hell, Kissing, Lust, M/M, Nephilim, Regency Romance, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Roughness, Sacrifice, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Student Dean Winchester, Tenderness, Winged Castiel (Supernatural), Winged Dean Winchester, Wingfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:07:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,496</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29478822</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Castiel are falling more in love every day as Dean learns about his Nephilim power in a safe environment, away from Regency society's prying eyes. But there's a lot more for Dean to learn about himself and his past than he could have ever imagined, and the emotional burden that comes with it worries Castiel. How much can Dean handle? Maybe more than his angel gives him credit for.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel &amp; Dean Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wildflowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowballSky12/gifts">SnowballSky12</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A warm, sedated kind of love<br/>It's a lonely miracle<br/>I stand until I don't believe my eyes<br/>I found the light above<br/>I've lifted all I can<br/>So I turn to the page of our connection<br/>I need you here with me<br/>I'm willing, I'm kneeling<br/>A place where I belong</p><p><em>Only Lost is Found</em> -Blue October</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Pay attention, Dean.” Castiel looked at Dean in exasperation as his student’s mind wandered elsewhere again. They sat face to face in a field of purple wildflowers in a clearing near the inn, where they had decided to stay while Dean became comfortable with being a Nephilim. Cas was training Dean to use his newfound powers, but it was hard to get Dean to focus on trivial lessons when he would rather be kissing his teacher softly, wrapped up in his lap, letting the warm breeze wash over them as the sound of birds lulled them into a euphoric, mid afternoon reverie... </p><p>Dean sighed heavily, returning his thoughts to the present. Making an apple float for the sole purpose of proving to Cas that he could do it made Dean feel resentful. He squinted at Cas’s stern expression and noticed how angelic he looked with the sunlight falling softly across his face. <em>I can’t do this right now</em>, Dean thought. <em>I need him. God, I need him.</em></p><p>Cas had cut off all physical contact with Dean since their first lesson the previous week in the hopes that it would eliminate distraction and improve their progress in Dean's training, but ultimately it may have made things worse. Their abstinence was emotional and physical torture and they were starved for each other’s affection.</p><p>“Remember our first lesson last week?” Dean asked suddenly, dismissing Cas’s request to pay attention. “Why can’t we do more stuff like that?”</p><p>Cas blushed, trying to avoid eye contact; they had both been thinking about the same thing. Immediately after Cas had taught Dean to activate his grace by himself, Dean had applied his new power and strength to his endurance in the bedroom. Shivers of desire ran down Cas’s spine as he recalled Dean between his legs, inside of him, causing his wings to involuntarily explode from between his shoulder blades, upending and destroying everything in their room with violent flourishes when he climaxed. He had never experienced anything like it, and it made him crazy to think about how good it felt. </p><p>“Cas? Can we take a break? Go somewhere? Maybe enjoy part of our time here together without...doing this?” Dean shrugged, pointing at the apple sitting in front of him in the grass. The soothing smell of hay and horses drifted towards them from the nearby stables, reminding Cas that soon they would be riding back towards London on Dean’s horse, Baby, and into the unknown. Their relationship would have to be low profile once they returned to Winchester House and it made his stomach hurt to think about it. <em>What am I doing, trying to force this?</em> He thought. <em>What kind of monster am I?</em> But he found himself holding fast to his request for obedience when he made eye contact with Dean again. He had to keep the upper hand, even if it was just to get past this last trivial thing today.</p><p>“Show me that you can do this, and I’ll say ok,” Castiel said, narrowing his eyes with intent. Dean could already activate his grace successfully, so now he had to learn to focus it and use it intentionally for practical activities. Moving a small object like an apple had seemed like a logical place to start before Cas realized how stubborn Dean was. It should have been easy, but Dean just didn’t want to do it. And as if on cue,  Dean rolled his eyes impatiently, folding his hands under his chin, focusing absently on the apple with a deep sigh. </p><p>Cas watched hopefully as Dean’s eyes glowed a soft green with concentration at first. But after several minutes, he started to grow weary from Dean’s marginal efforts; he could tell he wasn’t really trying, and now this lesson, like so many others, was becoming unbearable for them both.</p><p>Finally, Cas decided to help. He pushed his hand inside Dean’s shirt, over his heart, boosting his grace for him - he just needed a little push, that’s all. Cas felt a familiar hum as the grace swelled and made its way through Dean’s body, and Dean jumped, startled by the sudden unexpected sensation. His surprise made the apple explode all over the both of them, and sticky, sweet liquid dripped down the side of Cas’s face. He tried hard not to react; this was all extremely obnoxious, but also adorable.</p><p>“Is this what you wanted Cas? Applesauce?” Dean joked with a charming half smile, as he reached over to wipe applesauce out of Cas’s hair. "You're the one telling me to have patience," he chided. “What’re you rushing me for all of a sudden?” </p><p>Cas took the opportunity to move in closer to Dean, kissing the applesauce off of his face and neck, causing a familiar heat to spread throughout his entire body that was activated whenever he got this close to his lover. Everything about Dean was magnetic; his smell, his green eyes, his soft lips...Cas's breath hitched in his throat as he paused to collect himself. He knew that their lessons...at least of this variety...had ended for the day. They were both going to be completely useless now that he had let his guard down.</p><p>“Can... I have you now, Cas?” Dean trailed his hand along Cas’s strong jawline tenderly, whispering into his ear, and Cas moved in to kiss him softly on the mouth, his hands roving along Dean’s face, and down his neck. Dean grabbed Cas’s hands aggressively when they reached his shoulders, guiding them around his waist so they were in a close embrace before Dean moved to position himself in Cas’s lap, his legs wrapped around him, kissing him with urgency. This was the daydream he had just been having, and acting it out created a delicious vibration at every nerve ending in his body. </p><p>“I need you,” he breathed,  “I want to see your wings, baby. Please...can you take them out for me?” Dean barely broke their kiss to utter his request, and he began drawing circles up Cas’s spine with impatient fingers, coaxing him, causing Cas to gasp and arch his back into Dean, his entire body on fire, knowing there was no way to stop Dean from getting what he wanted now. </p><p>Dean moved to take off Cas’s shirt, sliding it over his disheveled hair, admiring his angel hungrily for a moment, breathing shakily in anticipation. And then he dove in again. He pushed firmly between Cas’s shoulder blades with his skilled fingers, kissing him hard, and moaning deeply into Cas’s mouth as he slipped his tongue between soft lips, knowing the effect it would have on him.</p><p><em>Fuck</em>. There was no holding back with Dean so close to him like this, and ebony soft feathers exploded rapidly on either side of Cas’s spine, his flight feathers draping dramatically behind him in the grass, the soft down at his shoulder blades immediately being assaulted by Dean’s roving hands as he buried his fingers there, rutting against Cas, pushing his body in to his angel, whimpering involuntarily at the desperate, euphoric feeling that consumed him. He bit Cas hard on the shoulder, lost in his need for him. He wanted all of Cas at once; it was an addiction, and if he didn’t get his fix, little else mattered. Being close to him every day during their lessons but not being allowed to touch made learning almost impossible, when all he could think about was burying his face in Cas’s neck...breathing him in...kissing him…</p><p>“Dean…” Cas whispered longingly, breaking their kiss but staying close, his eyes closed. “Can I try something?”</p><p>“Anything. Anything, as long as we can keep doing this. Please don’t stop.” Dean’s voice was thick with desire, and it gave Cas the confidence he needed.</p><p>He let Dean continue to nuzzle against him and explore him while he trailed his own hands up to the pressure point between Dean’s shoulder blades, where he traced soft, pointed circles with his finger, treading carefully at first to make sure he didn’t hurt his enthusiastic partner. He knew Dean would have wings as a Nephilim, but had been waiting for the right opportunity to explore it, since telling Dean would change so many things. But he couldn’t contain his desire to see Dean that way any longer. <em> To Hell with simple things. Maybe this will increase his desire to learn, too, </em> Cas thought.</p><p>Nothing happened at first when Cas glided his hands to the sweet spot between taught shoulders, but when he pushed a little harder, it caused Dean’s back to arch responsively. </p><p>“Come on, sweetheart, let go,” He whispered between kisses, and plunged his other hand into Dean’s pants, stroking his erection, so that he gasped and collapsed heavily into Cas. </p><p>Cas had timed his assault perfectly, surprise gripping every bit of Dean's body at once, making him lose control. And immediately, a pair of magnificent golden wings appeared behind him, flapping aggressively, knocking Dean out of Cas's lap with their power. The plumage knocked into the trees 20 feet away on the right and fanned out aggressively with the same impressive length on the left, disturbing a large patch of flowers in such a way that Dean was invisible behind a flurry of fragrant purple petals for a moment before they settled in his hair and wings, making him look ridiculous as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.</p><p>Cas basked in the look of surprise on his face as Dean reached back slowly to touch the soft feathers between his own shoulder blades.</p><p>“Cas…” it’s all he could manage. His eyes were wide, his breath shaky, as he searched Cas’s eyes for reassurance.</p><p>“You...are gorgeous, my love.” Cas had never seen golden wings before. He didn’t know they actually existed, and their beauty consumed him. He immediately crawled over to his shocked partner, caressing Dean’s feathers and burying his face in the soft golden down shining at his shoulders, affectionately picking small purple flowers out of Dean's wings and allowing himself to drown in the tenderness of the moment while Dean collected himself. </p><p>“Can I...fly?” Dean whispered, pushing Cas back gently so that his green eyes met Cas’s blue ones distractedly.</p><p>“Yeah”, was all Cas could manage back. “Do you...want to fly?”</p><p>“Fuck yes.” Dean got a lopsided smile on his face as he attempted to fan the heavy feathers. His wing muscles were still new, and his first attempt to lift them was feeble, but it was something. Cas was disappointed at the sudden change in mood, but happy that Dean had adjusted so quickly to the idea that he had wings. Dean had a natural ability to handle pretty much anything, and Cas was relieved that this was no exception; this was a big development. </p><p>It would take time for him to find the right stride so that he could successfully fly, but there was no harm in starting the process. Cas decided quickly that it would be good to focus on this as their final tutorial before heading back to Winchester house, where their lessons would be more restricted. It cheered him to know that they were making progress all of a sudden, and it was something that Dean was interested in.</p><p>Cas stood up, and extended his hand to Dean, who was still struggling under the unfamiliar weight of his new appendages. And once on his feet, it was amusing at first to watch Dean plow forward through the wildflowers, dragging his wings quite helplessly behind him, refusing to admit that he needed assistance. He watched Cas gliding beside him effortlessly, his own wings held expertly above the grass, and became even more exasperated. Finally, Cas felt a pang of guilt as he watched Dean’s beautiful flight feathers drag along the ground, becoming shredded and disheveled.</p><p>“Stop for a minute.” Cas reached a hand out to steady his struggling student. He stood in front of him, adjusting Dean’s posture so he was standing up straight, and then proceeded to push his wings up so that they lifted just high enough to brush the ground with their tips, instead of dragging so violently. He knew this would be a difficult position to hold on to at first, but it would help build Dean’s flight muscles and keep his feathers in good condition.</p><p>“Now walk,” Castiel ordered. He cocked his head to the side affectionately as Dean rolled his eyes at him.</p><p>“They’re...so heavy, Cas.” Dean looked slightly defeated as he moved forward again, trying to fight the look of discouragement that crossed his face as he kept his wings upright, realizing that he was at the full mercy of his angel’s instruction. He couldn’t learn how to operate this new anomaly on his own - no way.</p><p>And after what seemed like hours of walking, with sweat running off of his forehead in the warm air, Dean turned around to see that he had not made it very far at all. He trudged on for another minute until he reached the other side of the tree line, in view of the inn, where he admitted defeat, panting, with his hands resting tiredly on his knees as he caught his breath.</p><p>“How do you actually fly with these?” Dean asked incredulously. </p><p>“With time and training. You’ll get there.” Castiel pulled up beside him and planted an affectionate kiss on Dean’s cheek. </p><p>“Have you had enough practice for one day?” Cas tried to hide his satisfaction - Dean was finally starting to understand the intricacies that came with learning to be an angel.</p><p>“Yeah,” Dean said defeatedly.</p><p>“Do you want to practice putting them away?”

</p><p>“Is it  going to be as hard as flying?” He asked bitterly. Stowing the wings seemed like an impossibility - they were huge. Where the Hell did angels put them when they weren’t in use?</p><p>“Just - relax,” Cas said gently, and he started to massage the base of Dean’s soft golden down at his shoulder blades, feeling the muscles relax, and Dean exhaled in relief, closing his eyes and throwing his head back, relishing in the massage that Cas was giving his aching muscles. </p><p>The sight of Dean vulnerable like this, needing his help, made every muscle and feather in Cas’s body quiver, and he breathed in shakily as he tried to ignore his desire to just...<em>touch him</em>...and he found his fingers exploring Dean’s coverts, which were the ring of thick feathers just beyond the soft down near his shoulders. He pressed his fingers in, applying pressure near the flight muscle of his upper left wing, followed by his right, and watched Dean fall to his knees as a wave of unexpected pleasure traveled through his entire body. He slumped into Cas, gasping, stretching his wings out to allow Cas deeper access to those sensitive pleasure centers in the warm, soft feathers. He grabbed at Cas’s forearms to steady himself, looking up at him helplessly.</p><p>Cas stopped for a moment to trail his fingers over Dean’s face and strong jaw, showering his dry lips with hot, wet kisses, pressing himself up against Dean’s warm, hard body as he knelt so that he could be face to face with him; the moment was gorgeous and Cas wanted it to last forever. A soft, fragrant breeze blew across the clearing then, and Cas inhaled deeply, steadying himself, and moved his hands into the base of Dean’s wings where they brushed under his arms, plunging in deep and caressing expertly under the down.</p><p>“Wings are erogenous zones. You are in <em>so much trouble,</em>” Cas whispered, and smiled into another deep, swollen kiss.</p><p>Dean’s whole body convulsed as Cas continued to explore him. His breath came out short and rasping, and he felt as though he was holding on to Cas for dear life. He almost couldn’t handle what was happening, and more than anything he wanted to reciprocate. He craved the look he knew he would see in his angel’s eyes if he touched him back like this, and he was angry with himself for not considering it sooner. He couldn’t have known, but maybe he could have assumed last time they had been intimate - the opportunity has certainly been there. </p><p>His thoughts roamed back to how gorgeous Cas had been underneath him on the bed in their room at the inn the last time they had sex, fire flickering and snapping behind them on a cool, breezy night, the yellow fire light falling on Cas’s face, accentuating his electric blue eyes and casting a soft glow on his raven black and blue feathers. The wings had filled the entire room, and when he made Cas cum, he had lost control of them and destroyed everything; their furniture was in splinters, the paintings on the walls slashed to pieces, and Cas had been able to regain control only when he wrapped Dean up in the ebony softness of those impressive feathers, finding a way to finally tame them by locking them together, closing his eyes...kissing Dean softly to slow his racing heart...relaxing slowly as Dean fell asleep cocooned in angel wings. Dean didn’t dream that he would ever experience anything more beautiful than that until right now. Now they both had wings, and the possibilities seemed endless. His whole body shivered at the thought of what he could do with this new, intimate weapon.</p><p>He forced himself to stand back up as he pushed the thought away long enough to focus, even as Cas continued to touch him <em>like that.</em> And somehow he found enough strength to push Cas down underneath him, pinning him down with his wings forcefully, wrapping the both of them up in a plumage of fiery gold. And before Cas could recover, Dean plunged his own hands into the same area of coverts that Cas had explored on him, and Cas cried out, arching up, pulling Dean to him roughly, frantically thrusting his hands between Dean’s legs. He clutched Dean's inner thighs, careful to avoid touching his eager erection, trying to regain the upper hand. But they were both weak from desire, moaning into each other helplessly, and soon Dean collapsed on to Cas’s chest, the both of them still wrapped in his wings. It was too much. He wanted so much more, and he wished he had more to give, but his exhaustion consumed him. </p><p>“Don’t ever make me wait that long to touch you again, Cas,” he growled. “And don’t keep secrets like this from me,” he said, motioning to his wings.  </p><p>“Promise,” Cas said softly, brushing Dean’s damp hair back from his forehead. He had wanted to do this last time they were together intimately, but Cas had tried to take it slow, starting with grace alone as the main focus, but it almost started to seem selfish to keep this from Dean any longer, and he was happy it wasn't a secret anymore. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner" he whispered. But Dean was already asleep on top of his angel, exhausted from the activities of the day. </p><p>Cas listened to Dean’s sleepy breaths as he continued to stroke his hair and regained control of the hurricane that had gained momentum inside of him during their foray. How had he waited millennia for this? </p><p>He allowed his hands to rove along the sensitive pressure point between Dean’s shoulder blades then, massaging gently, watching the golden down, his impressive layers of coverts, and finally his flight feathers, disappear as quickly as they had come; to say that the wings simply dissipated into thin air when stimulated correctly seemed like too simple of an explanation, but really...that was the long and short of it. Cas wasn’t well versed in the details of heavenly magic, but that's just how it had always been. He couldn’t imagine how painful it might be if angels had to find a physical place for their wings when they weren’t in use. He had seen that thought cross Dean’s mind earlier, and hoped that in his light sleep, Dean was experiencing the ease with which they dissipated so he wouldn’t  be nervous next time. </p><p>____</p><p>“Oh, sweet Lord,” a female voice exclaimed a short time later. </p><p>Cas looked abruptly towards the tree line nearby and saw Donna standing there, a look of shock on her face.</p><p>“Donna, I- we - “ Cas didn’t know what to say, and his wings were still on full display, Dean sleeping softly on top of him. It was impossible to move or successfully hide the fact that they had been intimate or that Cas was in possession of wings.</p><p>“Castiel, I think...we need to talk.” Donna pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as she approached. It wasn’t the reaction that Cas had expected, although he felt relief that at least she seemed to be handling the scene quite well.</p><p>“Anything, Donna. I...don’t want to wake him up, though. Cas pointed softly at Dean. “Can we meet you in the dining room in a little while?” </p><p>“Of course. That will be fine. And...Castiel?”</p><p>“Hmmmm?”</p><p>“Sammy Winchester is here. So make it snappy.” Donna turned around and walked away, leaving Cas to enjoy the comfort of Dean’s warmth and gentle snoring for just a little bit longer. And he smiled contentedly in spite of himself.</p><p>----</p><p>A short time later, Cas and Dean trudged through the front doors of the inn to find Donna, the innkeeper and Sam waiting for them in the common room. They sat expectantly at a large wooden dining table in the main room, staring at the disheveled pair as they joined them. Dean's loose linen shirt was shredded in the back and at the arms, and Cas's was still covered in sticky applesauce, but no one cared to question the bizarre appearance of the pair as they entered. </p><p>“Join us, Ivanhoe...Rebecca,” the Innkeeper joked, looking from Dean to Cas with amusement.</p><p>“Fergus,” Donna hissed, and slapped him judgmentally on the forearm. It didn’t seem like anyone else caught his remark, and Donna was relieved as she gave him a warning look and pursed her lips.</p><p>Sam immediately got up and gripped Dean in a tight hug, ignoring the comments from their hosts.</p><p>"We've been so worried, Dean. We got a letter that you were dying and then one saying you were better the next day. What's going on? I couldn't wait for you to come back - I had to see you for myself. Claire and Jodi are so worried about you." He looked emotionally at Dean, marveling at how well his brother looked after only having been gone for 3 weeks. </p><p>When Dean had left to find Cas, it looked as though death would claim him, but Sam had been too afraid to keep him from his mission at the time. Dean would have just as soon died from heartbreak as physical wounds had Sam stopped him from leaving. But the guilt of that decision had consumed him when he had received his first letter from Fergus; it had looked as though Dean might not make it. But the day after receiving the first note, when Sam was preparing to ride north as quickly as possible to be with his brother, he received a second one indicating that Dean was well and that Castiel had found him. The spacing of the letters made no sense, as he was sure they would have been sent within a day or two of each other. For Dean to go from "dying" to "recovered" in such a short period of time was impossible...wasn't it?</p><p>Dean didn't answer Sam's question right away, and so Sam reiterated:</p><p>"How are you alive? How do you look so...well?" </p><p>Dean looked at Cas. How much should he say? At some point he would have inevitably needed to tell his brother everything, but it still seemed...so soon. And with Fergus and Donna here?</p><p>Cas gave Dean a sidelong glance, his full lips twitching in contemplation, before speaking on his behalf:</p><p>"Dean isn't a Winchester, Sam. He's the son of an archangel named Raguel. He is a Nephilim - half human, half angel." </p><p>Fergus reacted first: he stood up, pounding his fist confidently on the table.</p><p>"About bloody time you figured it out!" He exclaimed, looking triumphantly at Dean. "Didn't I tell you, Donna? As soon as Castiel arrived here, I knew it was finally time."</p><p>Cas looked at the ground, and his face felt hot. <em>Here we go,</em> he thought.</p><p>“You...knew about Cas? About me? Before all of this?” Dean asked, looking at Fergus and feeling confused.</p><p>"Of course I know him,” he said, referencing Cas, “we've fought on opposite sides of the celestial war for dozens of years now. Fergus Crowley, my boy. Contractor of Hell, demon by every fault of my own in my previous human life. But please...call me Crowley. Only my mother and my wife call me Fergus." He bowed dramatically before sitting back down, glaring accusatorily at Donna, who simply rolled her eyes dismissively at him.</p><p>"We've known that you were a Nephilim since you were young, Dean,” Donna said quietly, turning her attention to Dean. Your...parents...were close by here when they died protecting you…" she trailed off. She didn't really want to explain what she had found of Raguel and Mary in the woods that day. Burnt...broken...almost unidentifiable. She still had nightmares about the burnt formation on the ground of giant wings, splayed as though they were used in their last moment to protect Mary Winchester. She shoved the thought back down for now, and dismissed herself to fetch a bottle of sherry so no one could see the tears in her eyes.</p><p>Sam, meanwhile, had been watching all of this unfold in stunned silence. He had yet to decide what to say, but instead raised his eyebrows in silent surprise and looked at Dean.</p><p>"Wait...you're a demon, Crowley? Son of a bitch," Dean muttered, and looked thoughtfully at the table. He had thought all demons were terrifying beasts, like the ones he always saw in his nightmares or at Cas’s studio in London, but Crowley seemed alright. He wondered if he was a danger to them. It didn't seem like it. He had helped to save him from dying just weeks ago, after all.</p><p>"Why didn't you...kill Dean?" Cas asked. He had been meaning to ask the question, but had not seen much of Crowley since he had arrived - he assumed that Crowley had been avoiding him. They spoke mostly to Donna, and she had been the one looking after them. Cas knew that Crowley had been setting up warding secretly to protect them from prying human eyes while they stayed at the Inn, but had been afraid to admit that he knew, lest Crowley turn on them. He was curious about the demon’s intentions. The situation was most unusual.</p><p>"Kill a Nephilim? The one thing that God hates above all else?" Crowley threw his head back and laughed a hearty laugh. "I am sworn to protect that boy with my own life. Call him an insurance policy." Crowley looked at Dean and drummed his fingers on the table thoughtfully, a small twitch becoming visible under his left eye as he contemplated his prize with a satisfied smirk. </p><p>"Wait…” Sam said hesitantly. “So...Crowley, you're a demon. Cas, you're...an angel? (Cas nodded) and Dean is…"</p><p>"Half angel'" Dean finished for him. Cas noticed that he said it with guarded pride, and seemed to be entirely unphased at the most recent news that Crowley was a demon and that Cas had known about it, or vice versa. He was again astounded by Dean’s ability to adjust quickly to pretty much anything, and Cas felt as though he didn’t deserve the love of this amazing, evolutionary creature.</p><p>"H-huh." Sam made a confused sound and was silent.</p><p>"Do you wanna see, Sammy?"</p><p>"See what?" Sam asked curiously. Donna had come back with the sherry and was passing it out to everyone at the table.</p><p>"Come," Dean stood up and motioned for Sam to follow him outside. Cas rolled his eyes, knowing where this was going and hating it. Dean wouldn't be able to get his wings extended on his own, and the moment was about to get awk-</p><p>But then it happened. Cas watched Dean drop to his knees thirty feet ahead of them, activate his grace on his own, and materialize his wings as though he had been an angel his entire life.</p><p>Cas's jaw dropped, and everyone else in the group murmured with surprise. Dean turned around, still struggling with the weight of his new appendages, but genuinely proud of them nonetheless. He staggered for a moment, but righted himself quickly and stood tall, smiling a devastating half smile at Cas.</p><p>"Is...what...oh my God." Was all Sam could say. "Can I…?" He moved towards Dean with his hand outstretched, but Dean thought back to his intimate encounter with Cas earlier and panicked. He froze in fear, tucking his wings behind him and shaking his head.</p><p>Cas took this as his cue to interject.</p><p>"You can touch them, but just the flight feathers, Sam," he said softly, and pointed to the large feathers that brushed the ground.</p><p>"Oh." Sam didn't understand, but he obeyed. And Dean gave Cas an appreciative glance. </p><p>It was an intimate moment nonetheless, with Sam handling the situation with stoicism, running his hand softly through Dean's flight feathers, humming in awe. </p><p>"Your scars. They're...all gone…" Sam whispered as he observed Dean’s back through his shredded shirt. "Except…" he put his hand over the scar on his arm from Castiel's hand. </p><p>"Its a gift. From Cas." He wasn't sure why saying it made his eyes well with tears, but it did. He also supposed he was feeling the relief of Sam knowing about all this; he had been so secretive with Sam his whole life about many things, and it felt good to share this with him.</p><p> Dean was proud of Sam for trying to make sense of this, too, rather than becoming angry or trying to deny that any of it was real. He knew he shouldn’t have expected any less from his younger brother; Sam was strong, and pure of heart. It was one of the reasons he had so confidently entrusted the future of his family name to his brother when he had left to find Cas. Sam was much more cut out for the responsibility in every way, and it made Dean’s heart swell with pride to think of it again.</p><p>"Dean, is this...why you have always drawn such beautiful angels? Have you always known about this somehow?" Sam asked thoughtfully.</p><p>Dean gave Cas another glance, seeking permission to tell Sam the whole story, and Cas nodded silently. </p><p>"No, I haven't...but I can tell you everything. Let's go back inside." And Dean stowed his wings as easily as he had summoned them. Cas's eyes widened in surprise again, and Dean winked at him as he passed.</p><p><em>It must come easier as a Nephilim,</em> Cas thought, and knew in that moment that he loved Dean even more, if that were possible. He felt reassured now that with the right approach, all of this Nephilim training could be easier than they had been making it. He breathed a secret sigh of relief at the thought, and a weight began lifting off of his chest.</p><p>----</p><p>Sam sat in silence back at the inn, absorbing all of the information that Dean and Cas gave him, starting with the truth about the fire at the studio, the demon curse that had almost killed Dean, and the fact that Cas had helped Dean to discover his Nephilim grace and activate it so that he could heal when Cas had found him near death under Crowley and Donna’s care. They left out the part about the significance of Cas’s infinity painting and the fact that they were soulmates, though - Dean still felt protective of that intimate detail, and wasn’t willing to share it with anyone else, even Sam. But he did find Cas’s hand under the table when he thought of it, and Cas’s eyes flickered for a moment in appreciation at the gesture. Dean knew he must be thinking about it, too.</p><p>Crowley and Donna listened in as well, nodding, and adding their own commentary as it was appropriate - and this is where Donna decided to disclose the details of Mary and Raguel’s death as well. It would be unfair for her to keep it from the Winchester boys any longer.<br/>
____</p><p>It seemed that a small group of angels had surprised Raguel and Mary when they had been visiting with Crowley. Raguel had been seeking more protection against Dean’s increasingly aggressive assailants. And demon or not, Raguel knew the importance of forming a partnership with Crowley for the protection of his son - he was willing to do anything to ensure Dean’s survival, and it looked more and more like involving Hell was necessary to create balance and strength in his son’s secret training.</p><p>Raguel ultimately died trying to protect Mary from their angelic attackers after that fateful meeting. Jodi and Donna had been looking after Dean when it happened - he was five years old at the time. And it was that same day that Jodi agreed to allow Crowley to help in protecting Dean with demon blood to give him extra strength in his fight against the angels in his dreams. Meanwhile, Donna married Fergus so that she could courier the blood supply to Winchester house without suspicion, and Jodi would administer it to Dean once a year in his sleep - just enough to give him a little extra strength. </p><p>“But you kind of loved me...just a little bit?” Crowley interjected, giving Donna the pouty lip and puppy dog eyes.</p><p>“Not even a little bit,” Donna said unapologetically, and Crowley chuckled at her defiant retort.</p><p>It was all a genius plan, really, but Castiel started to worry again; the ease of his burden had been fleeting. Dean was a nephilim with demon blood? He sat in silence, contemplating, hand resting thoughtfully on his chin, wondering if the new dynamic would put Dean back in danger with the angels all over again. He tuned in to angel radio as he sat, searching for Uriel. Uriel was the only one he trusted for guidance for an issue like this one, and he hoped he could locate and trust his old friend.</p><p>“Dean, there’s something I want to show you. Would you come with me?” Donna’s voice was small, and Dean thought he heard sadness in her question as well. It made him hesitant, but also curious. He glanced at Cas and at Sam for reassurance. Since the conversation had died down after Donna’s story had reached its conclusion, he supposed it would be an appropriate time to excuse himself.</p><p>“I’ll go with you”, Cas said, and both Sam and Cas automatically got up to follow him protectively out the front door. </p><p>Out in the pale twilight, Donna walked with purpose, flanked by an angel, a Nephilim, and a wide eyed young Winchester. She stopped just beyond the ring of trees that framed the west side of the inn, and stood in silence for a moment, gazing out over the sea of purple flowers where Dean and Cas had been earlier in the day.</p><p>“This...is where they died,” Donna said quietly. “I thought you might like to know that, because it’s really quite a beautiful place. The flowers that grow here aren’t native to England. In fact, no one has been able to identify them at all - I like to think that they’re from heaven. From Raguel.”</p><p>“They...are,” Cas said quietly. He had recognized the peculiar purple flowers soon after his arrival here, when he was searching for a private place to bring Dean to teach him more about being a Nephilim. When he came upon the clearing initially, the field seemed to whisper to him. It was rare to come upon such a sacred site, and he had been humbled by the power he felt when he waded through the patches of delicate, fragrant purple. And he knew of only one angel that had given his life so close to here; Raguel. This had to be his final resting place, and there was significance in Cas choosing that particular spot to bring Dean for his training, even though he hadn't revealed it to him yet. He suddenly felt that he owed Dean an apology for all of the secrets he had kept; the wings, Crowley, and now the significance of this place. In all cases, Cas had been waiting for the right time to reveal such delicate pieces of information, so as not to add more to his soul mate's crippling emotional burden. But in the end, he should have been honest about everything from the beginning, and he told himself that there would be no more secrecy between them. Dean was stronger than anyone Cas had ever known, and he deserved the truth.</p><p>The group stood in silent contemplation for several more minutes, all lost in their own thoughts, staring out across the field. And suddenly Dean couldn’t help but let a few tears escape from the corners of his eyes as he thought about his parents again in the evening stillness, crickets chirping in a soothing symphony all around them. </p><p>“This is where they died. Right here. For me.” Dean felt that his words were so absolute as he whispered them, and he was suddenly overwhelmed. He needed to be alone to calm his racing mind, and he knew in the moment that he was ready to fly; to leave the world behind, just for a minute. <em>I can do it, I know I can...I need this, </em>he thought.</p><p>He walked away from Donna and Sam and Castiel with determination...far enough to spread his wings again, and he knelt down purposefully, thirty feet into the clearing, in the middle of where the wildflowers grew. And then, with as much power as he could gather, he pushed himself up, flapping the large wings with everything he had, lifting himself ten...twenty...twenty five feet in the air. And once he got past the initial struggle of liftoff, it was as easy as breathing. His flight feathers caught the cool air, and he didn’t have to put in much effort to soar peacefully, letting the gentle breeze soothe him, relishing in the silence of the sky as he thought about everything that had unfolded in the last month of his life.</p><p> Just a short short time ago, he was heir to the Winchester estate, panicking about marriage, social responsibility, and civic duty. And now he was here, falling in love with an angel and finding out that he was divine himself. He had been surrounded his entire life by people and Supernatural creatures that had protected his secret until it was time for him to hear it. It was hard to fathom. Nearly impossible, actually, and he barely dared to believe that it could actually be real; that his drawings and his dreams had been the real truth about his identity for all of his life, and that he was meant for this. Whatever <em>this</em> was.</p><p>He looked down when his mind cleared a little, and noticed that the purple wildflowers grew in the shape of large angel wings. His heart warmed when he thought about the fact that this is where Cas had chosen to bring him to learn about his Nephilim power. Even though Cas hadn't told him the reason that they had been there, it was the gesture that really mattered. He had wanted Dean to be close to Raguel without the sadness that would burden him knowing the significance of it.</p><p>He watched Cas wander towards the center of the sea of purple then, looking up at him with such sincere love, and Dean knew that this...this was one of the most important moments of his life. He was overcome with the bittersweet beauty of it, and suddenly needed to be near Cas again; his soul mate.</p><p>Dean came back down gracefully, landing on the ground near his angel and stowing his wings expertly before throwing himself into Cas’s arms, burying his head in his chest. For a moment he forgot that Sam and Donna were still standing at the tree line, and he let himself get lost in the warmth of Cas’s embrace. </p><p>Cas touched Dean gently on the scar on his arm, letting their grace intertwine, absorbing the burdening emotions that Dean felt, letting their connection heal him, and Dean looked up in momentary shock at the power he felt when Cas touched the handprint. He couldn’t recall that Cas had done that before, and he felt a surge of euphoria. Would he ever cease to be amazed at the things that Cas could do? How he could make him feel?</p><p>"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, Dean," Cas whispered, unshed tears in the corners of his eyes.</p><p>"It's ok, Cas. You were protecting me. I know." And Dean kissed him softly to make sure Cas knew that he forgave him. </p><p>Sam and Donna watched Dean and Cas become enveloped in a pulsing blue green cocoon of light from the tree line, unable to speak, and knowing that they were witnessing magic. And Donna felt a sudden sense of pride at being part of this...whatever <em>this</em> was. All of her days of guilt, keeping the secrets of a fallen archangel and a demon to keep Dean safe had paid off; the injustice that she felt in keeping her silence all those years was over. There was a reason that she had remained quiet, and this was it. She was excited to see what came next. </p><p>Knowing that Dean and Castiel needed to be alone, Sam and Donna turned silently back towards the Inn. Sam had come to make sure that Dean was ok, and indeed he was. He could wait until tomorrow to tell Dean his own news; he and Eileen were a week away from getting married now. And he needed Dean back to stand up for him - to be his best man. He smiled at the thought as he put his hands in his pockets and trailed after Donna through the trees. And when he looked up, the sky glowed blue and green for a moment before the last of the light left the sky.</p><p>
  <em>Back at the Inn, Fergus sat in a red velvet armchair in front of a newly stoked fire, swirling the ice in his whiskey glass, contemplating Uriel with boundless annoyance. The feathery bastard had interrupted his evening by appearing abruptly in search of Castiel. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“...you have to know that this won’t stand, Crowley.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What, that your Nephilim is broken?” Fergus chided. “I can’t imagine why you would be so upset about that, angel.”</em>
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  <em>“He could just as soon be the death of you,” Uriel fired back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Perhaps,” Fergus said thoughtfully, un-phased. He was enjoying the conversation way too much suddenly. Castiel had convinced the angels to let Dean live, and now they resented their choice, and  it was because of the demon blood pulsing in Dean’s veins alongside his grace; he was damaged, and angels did not like broken things. Crowley swelled with pride as he realized that his gamble with the life of a Nephilim had paid off; heaven didn't want Dean now, but Castiel certainly wanted him, and Crowley felt that a new heavenly war may be imminent. He basked in the dark beauty of it all and smiled, leaning back triumphantly in his chair. </em>
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  <em>Uriel startled suddenly at the sound of footsteps at the front door, and disappeared with frustration as quickly as he had come - he would have to consider his options before taking any action against Dean Winchester, and he knew he would have to put on a show for Castiel first - the Nephilim’s soulmate. He hated the idea of betraying Castiel, but he was terrified of the repercussions if he didn’t. The power of an unchecked Nephilim whose veins surged with blood of demons could cause an apocalypse. His brother Michael had told him so. They needed to get rid of him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fergus smiled silently again after Uriel disappeared, before draining the last of the whiskey from his glass and standing up to welcome his family back - because that's what they were, now. They would all have to work together if there was any chance of saving Dean. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Let the games begin, he thought, and for a moment his eyes were jet black, all pupil, all evil. </em>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had originally planned for a much longer, more sinister plotline for part 2 of my "Gods and Monsters" series. But somewhere between Valentine's Day and the DeanCas Wedding trending on Twitter, my heart softened and it became fluff instead, and an opportunity for some character history and development more than anything.. Thank you to those of you who asked for more after I wrote part I; as a relatively new fanfic writer, knowing that someone enjoyed my work is the ultimate compliment. I am open to ideas for further continuation, and have already started writing part III with some plot points in mind.</p><p>This part had less of the Bridgerton flair, which is where my original ideas were orchestrated from, but that will return with Sam's wedding celebration - I enjoyed writing in those elements and am excited to get back to it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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